The present invention relates to an on-line computer system which is for processing an input message signal into a processed message signal.
A conventional on-line computer system comprises a message receiving circuit, a message receiving buffer, a supplying circuit, an erasing circuit, and a processing unit having a message holding buffer. In the conventional on-line computer system, the message receiving circuit is supplied with an input message signal to produce a received message signal. Connected to the message receiving circuit, the message receiving buffer holds the received message signal as a held message signal. Connected to the supplying circuit, the processing unit is supplied with a supplied message signal and processes the supplied message signal in response to a program into a processed message signal to produce a request signal. In the processing unit, the message holding buffer holds the supplied message signal. Connected to the message receiving buffer and the processing unit, the supplying circuit is supplied with the request signal to supply the held message signal as the supplied message signal to the processing unit and produces an erasing signal after supply of the supplied message signal to the processing unit by the supplying circuit. Connected to the message receiving buffer and the supplying circuit, the erasing circuit erases the held message signal from the message receiving circuit when the erasing circuit is supplied with the erasing signal.
In the manner described above, the message holding buffer is included in the processing unit of the on-line computer system according to the prior art. It is therefore possible to safely process the input message signal to a certain extent without undesired loss of the message signal.
The conventional on-line computer system is impossible to completely safely process and simply process the input message signal.